Wikis

Live Chat Tools

Campfire

Campfire is a web-based group chat service that can be accessed from any computer with a web browser. This chat service is fee-based, but it does have a free version. With a Campfire account, you can create multiple chat rooms and have up to 60 simultaneous chatters (depending on the account plan). Transcripts are ordered chronologically and searchable. Campfire also allows file sharing (file space depends on the account plan). Accounts can have an unlimited number of members who are invited via email. Members have access to transcripts and files and can be restricted to specific chat rooms if desired. Guest access can be turned on or off in individual chat rooms. Guests are invited to specific chats via email. They cannot see transcripts, nor can they see the previous conversations that took place in a chat room.

Cost: Price ranges from free (up to 4 simultaneous chatters) to $49/month (up to 60 simultaneous chatters); No set up or termination fees

Zoho Chat

Zoho Chat is a free, web-based chat service that can be accessed from any computer with a web browser. You can create groups in this service to chat with multiple people, either registered Zoho users in your contact list or invited guests. Guest access can be turned on or off. A link can be shared for guest users or they can be invited via email. Transcripts are automatically saved in chronological order and are searchable, but they can be deleted if desired. Previous chats can be restarted by opening up the saved transcript. Zoho Chat also allows file sharing.

Meebo

Meebo is a free, web-based instant messaging (IM) service that lets you log in to all of your IM networks from any computer with a web browser. It has a group chat feature that lets anyone with an IM account create a new group chat or join an existing chat room. To use this service for group chats, everyone who needs to participate in the group chat must have an IM account with the same provider (e.g., AIM, Yahoo, etc.). The Meebo group chat does not have file sharing capability, nor can transcripts be saved.

Cost: Free

Download: No, web-based

Transcripts: No

File Sharing: No

Number of Chatters: ?

Registration: All participants must have accounts with the same IM client

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)

AIM is an instant messaging client. You can download and install the software for free. AIM has a chat room feature that lets you create private chat rooms for specific groups of people. All of the participants must have an AIM account. In addition, you can automatically save chat transcripts and share files.